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Resolved Molecular Gas in a Quasar Host Galaxy at Redshift z = 6.42

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Fabian Walter1,7,8, Chris Carilli1, Frank Bertoldi2, Karl Menten2, Pierre Cox3, K. Y. Lo4, Xiaohui Fan5 and Michael A. Strauss6

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We present high-resolution Very Large Array (VLA) observations of the molecular gas in the host galaxy of the highest redshift quasar currently known, SDSS J1148+5251 (z = 6.42). Our VLA data of the CO (3-2) emission have a maximum resolution of 0farcs17 × 0farcs13 (≤1 kpc) and enable us to resolve the molecular gas emission both spatially and in terms of velocity. The molecular gas in J1148+5251 is extended to a radius of 2.5 kpc, and the central region shows two peaks separated by 0farcs3 (1.7 kpc). These peaks account for about half of the total emission, while the remainder is more extended. Each of these unresolved peaks contains a molecular gas mass of ~5 × 109 Msun (similar to the total mass found in nearby ultraluminous infrared galaxies) and has an intrinsic brightness temperature of ~35 K (averaged over the 1 kpc-sized beam), comparable to what is found in nearby starburst centers. Assuming that the molecular gas is gravitationally bound, we estimate a dynamical mass of ~4.5 × 1010 Msun within a radius of 2.5 kpc (~5.5 × 1010 Msun if corrected for a derived inclination of i ~ 65°). This dynamical mass estimate leaves little room for matter other than the detected molecular gas; in particular, the data are inconsistent with a ~1012 Msun stellar bulge that would be predicted based on the MBHbulge relation. This finding may indicate that black holes form prior to the assembly of the stellar bulges and that the dark matter halos are less massive than those predicted on the basis of the black hole/bulge mass relationship.


Subject headings

cosmology: observations; galaxies: high-redshift; galaxies: ISM; quasars: general


Dates

Issue 1 (2004 November 1)

Received 2004 May 29, accepted for publication 2004 September 20

Published 2004 October 5



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